Extraordinary rendition is the CIA activity of "transferring" or "flying captured terrorist suspects from one country to another for detention and interrogation" without the benefit of "formal legal proceedings." [1][2]

"Extraordinary" or "Irregular" Renditions

"Persons suspected of terrorist activity may be transferred from one State (i.e., country) for arrest, detention, and/or interrogation. Commonly, this is done through extradition, by which one State surrenders a person within its jurisdiction to a requesting State via a formal legal process, typically established by treaty. Far less often, such transfers are effectuated through a process known as extraordinary rendition or irregular rendition. These terms have often been used to refer to the extrajudicial transfer of a person from one State to another." --Michael John Garcia, Legislative Attorney, American Law, Library of Congress September 22, 2005.

To date, the only public inquiry into extraordinary rendition has been conducted by the Arar Commission in Canada, into the abduction and torture of Syrian-Canadian citizen Maher Arar.

Alleged rendition pilots

In mid 2007, three pilots allegedly involved in the extraordinary rendition of Khalid El-Masri had their real identities revealed. The rendition of El-Masri was a particularly unfortunate one as it eventually turned out to be a case of mistaken identity.[1] The three pilots are alleged to be

The renditions have been "conducted lawfully, responsibly, and with a clear and simple purpose: to get terrorists off the streets and gain intelligence on those still at large," Hayden said.

...He said media reports "cost us several promising counterterrorism and counterproliferation assets" because CIA sources stopped cooperating out of fear they would be exposed. In one case, he said, news leaks gave a foreign government information that allowed it to prosecute and jail one of the CIA's sources. In a 20-minute question-and-answer session with the audience, Hayden disputed assertions that the CIA has used mock drowning, stress positions, hypothermia and dogs to interrogate suspects — all techniques that have been broadly criticized.

"That's a pretty good example of taking something to the darkest corner of the room and not reflective of what my agency does," he told one person from a human rights organization.[4]

Documents & Reports

"Patterns of Global Terrorism-2000," Released by the Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism, Department of State, April 2001: Appendix E: Extraditions and Renditions of Terrorists to the United States (1993-1999).

"Patterns of Global Terrorism-2001," Released by the Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism, Department of State, May 21, 2002: Appendix D: Extraditions and Renditions of Terrorists to the United States (1993-2001).